Mechanism for road graders



Nov. 15, 1949 A. 1 LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Original Filed March 1'7, 1944 lO Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.` 15, 1949 A, LADO 2,488,016

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 17, 1944 A. l... LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Nov. 15, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed March 1'7, 1944 NOV. 15,v 1949 A,1 LADO 2,488,016

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Original Filed March 17, 1944 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 'iugm A Nov. 15, 1949 A. 1 LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD-GRADERS original Filed March 17, '1944 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 NOV.y 15, 1949 A, L LADO 2,488,016

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Original Filed March 17, 1944 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 [Ni ENTOR.

Nov. 15, 1949 A. 1 LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed March 17, 1944 NN .www

INVENTOR [Lao Nov., 15, 1949 A. l.. LADO l' MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed March 17, 1944 www A. L .LADO

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS V Original Filed March 17, 1944 Nov. l5, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 104 INVENToR. LM/nim?!- L w BY I /IMIU'SW Patented Nov. 15, v1949 2,488,016 MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Anthony My invention relates to improvements in road grader mechanisms, and relates more particularly to such mechanisms scarier disposed forwardly of the grader blade.

'In the operation of road graders, after the operator had caused the vehicle to travel forwardly, it is often desirable to retraverse the terrain previously operated upon, or toftraverse a stretch of terrain at the side of that previously operated upon, and the lack of space or the condition of the terrain renders reversal of the facing direction of the vehicle diicult and time consuming, and therefore undesirable, in cases where the stretch of road traversed in the forward direction is not of great length.

Road grader mechanisms are now commonly provided with power actuated devices to variously adjust the positions of the blade and scarier, but so far as I am aware, the position of the scarifier even when in an upper retracted position, does not permit ready and relatively rapid reversal of the blade from a single operators station, without temporary dismounting of parts, and to afford grading operations with the gradervehicle moving backwardly over the terrain.

Therefore, it is an object of my invention to provide improved road grader mechanism whereby power means for both the scarier and the blade may be readily actuatable, through effortless operation of controlling means at the operators station, for first effecting ample lifting of the scarifier, then to tilt the blade to minimize its vertical extent and to rotate the blade about `a medial vertical axis over any reversing angle; then to restore the tilted blade to a normal grading attitude and ground engaging elevation, whereby rearward movement of the vehicle will effect a grading or scraping operation.

Another object of my invention is to accomplish the foregoing object through the use of hydraulic or fluid pressure, or equivalent power means, whereby the grader blade may be elevated above the level of the ground and placed in a horizontal plane, and may readily be rotated without its end portion engaging the superposed 4 scarier mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the aforesaid objects motion-multiplying means associated with the said fluid pressurepower means, all being quickly actuated by the effects of fluid pressure, controlled by the operation of easily operable controls for operating valves, said controls being being conveniently disposed at the operators station.

Another object of my invention is to elect a co-relation of power operated hydraulic or like iiuid pressure rams' vand motion-multiplying means ofv aV type,V whereby the scarifier may be rapidly y sufficiently,` lifted toA provide ample space between its lowermost portions 'and theY terrain toY permitthe grader blade tobe rotated without as' are equipped with 'a` L. Lado, Rome, N. Y., Union Fork & Hoe Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application March 17,

Divided and this application October Serial No. 624,748

9 Claims. (Cl. 37-145) parts broken adjust the grader blade on a assigner to The Columbus, Ohio,

1944, Serial No.

contact between said blade, and the terrain or scarifier, one of the ends of the moldboard-blade unit, in downwardly facing attitude, being passed below the scarier.

Another object thev foregoing objects in a mechanism comprising improved fluid pressure means to place the grader blade in a substantially horizontal plane near to but above the terrain to achieve a lesser vertical over-all thickness, whereby, when the scarifier lifting apparatus of my invention has effected lifting of the scarier mechanism above such terrain, other iiuid pressure means may rotate the tilted blade on a vertical axis to swing the blade over a complete circle or any part thereof, without engagement of the end portions of the blade or moldboard, with any part of the lifted scarifier mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the foregoing objects, and each of them, in a grader mechanism employing a blade, of considerable end-to-end length, and to accomplish all of said objects by adjustments of the various adjustable parts by selective manual operation of operator controllable means all located at the operators vehicular driving station of the mobile grader.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment of my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which described in the specification hereon, in which drawings:

In the drawings:

Figs.' 1 and 2 illustrate respectively in side elevational View the front and rear portions of a power grader mechanism embodying the principles of my invention, a portion of the main frame and sub-frame draw bars being shown as broken away for the purpose of condensing the showing of the illustrated operative parts;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of an implement-carrying sub-frame of the general type commonly employed to support a grader blade in diierent operative positions;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side elevational views, respectively, of the front end portion of the grader mechanism to illustrate the scarifier and operating means therefor, Fig. 5 having certain away or omitted;

Fig. "l is a side elevational view of the rear portion of the sub-frame and the grader blade supported thereby, and operating means to rotatively axis;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical view, not necessarily to scale, being somewhat of the nature of a rear elevational view ofa rearwardly disposed transverse angle frameV portion of the sub-frame porof my invention is to achieve Y transverse hinging Y adjustment to the sub-frame is variously swung to different operative positions and attitudes;

Fig. 9 is a View generally of the nature of that of Fig. 7 but illustrating a remotely controllable tilting adjustment of the grader blade on a transverse hinging axis, effected by an adjustment operation of a power ram shown in Fig. "7, whereby the grading face of the blade may be lowered and faced downwardly;

Fig. l illustrates the apparatus of Fig. '7 in rear elevational View;

Fig. 1l is a front elevational View of the subfrarne adjusting crank operating mechanism, in a different operative adjustment position from that indicated in Figs. 1 and 8;

Figs. 12 andi3 are front sectional views to illustrate two dgiijerent operating adjustment mechanism employed to adjust the sub-frame and Scariier;

Fig. 14 illustrates diagrammatcallythe fluid systemA for remotely controlling the application ofv hydraulic iiuid, under pressure, to various power rams shown in the foregoing igures, under the control of manually operable valves, all disposedat a single operators station;

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view ofthe portion of the grader mechanism which isv disposed forwardly of theoperators station with the scarifier in an uppermost lifted adjusted position, and the rotary blade supporting carriage partially rotatably adjusted towards a rever-sed position, to cause the blade to extend'longitudinally of the grader below the searier, and said` blade being moreover downwardly faced in` close proximity to the underlying terrain but proximity theretd,

a portion of the main frame',y sub-frame draw bars and moldboard. with grader bladebeing shown as broken away f orthe purpose of longitudinally condensing the showing of the illustrated oper-V ative parts; and

Fig. 16 is a View similary to that of Fig. l5,

showing the blade and scarier grader portion,

with the bladeffurther rotated and in position for anI upright operative position, and with the bladefacing rearwardly off the vehicle.

The from my previously led application,y Serial No. 526,959, filed March- 17, 1944, wherein the grader mechanism herein disclosedy is, in parts, .more

completely illustrated and described.

Although my invention isi subject to application to graders of widely varying types,A I have illustrated the samet as applied to an improved design road grader of the-- power type wherein a prime mover suchas an automotive engine carried by the grader v hicle frame produces `power to, operateA the various the grader is equipped.

My invention herein particularly relates to the application of hydraulically operated motors comprising a preferably rotary motorior rotating the grader blade on; an in av transverse plane, and areciprocatcry h-y. draulic ram employedtoadjust'andhold adjusted various elements of thel grader mechanism, including a ramn adapted to variously tilt said blade on ar transverse axis, othersuch .ra-msv to variously adjust the graderv blade-carrying sub-frame, and to adjustably eley-ate or lower` the scarier, as hereinafter more fully described.

The road grading vehicle The, vehicleilflnstratedin thedrawings, and tof positions ofthe crank present application forpatent; is divisionalI eehanisms with whichA upwardly extending axis.

arched main frame beams l and 2 of preferred Ibeam cross section, are welded together at the forward ends as at I and 2. To the forward portions of said main frame beams, the ground engageable implements and ancillary equipment are secured, and upon the rear portion of said-beams, where said beams are relatively more widely spaced and extend in parallel relation, the automotive vehicular supporting wheels,r motor; and are secured.

Steerable" and laterally leanable front wheels 6l carryv the forward end of the chassis frame, and a pair of tandem wfheels 53 are disposed at each rear sideof the trama to alici-d support for the-main framethrqug l,appropriate, chassis and wheel supporting.I means ofA any known apr-- propriate type. A pair of tandem axles and a suspension structure4 is secured toeach main fthe two sides axles, said element being intermediatel-y swivel ably secured to a bracket, indicated at` 713 which,

y thev hood and radiator,

in turn, is rigidly secured to.l the mainy frame and carries al journal for the laterallyextending bogie shaft |73,V upon which thev main frame is.

supported.

Many suitable types,v of. structure,y tor intermediately andlswivelablyinterconnecting the two4 wheels of eachr tandem pair to the. main frame. and for differentially driving the tandem pairs of wheels at; the two sides of the vehicle. may be i employed and the same, being well known and not comprising any part of my invention, are not herein. specically. illustratednor described.

The automotive engineer other motor is disposed Within the enclosure 52;,v here comprising. and drives the pulley 57, which, by means of the intermediate belt. 58` and. pulley 59 drives; a hydraulic pump 60.

shownby dotted lines in are, illustrated diagraminaticallyY in Fig. 14 and functionally described under the heading The hydraulic system.

'I Jhe vehicle. also carriesan operators cab hous.- ing 56, whose forward wall. supports an instrument. panel, which carries anumber of hydraulic valver mechanisms and the manually operable controlli-ng means therefor which are carried onVV usual oil` said instrument! panel, aswell as. thev reservoir 5.4. of'such. a-.hydraul-ic system,

Road working appliances The grader comprises also a, suppleniental' or sub-frame l5 (seeEgS. 3 and 4)' comprising a pair of forwardly converging beams, 4 andv 5,I

cross-beams LZ and I3, the forward end being exibly universally connected,at |40 (Fig. 15)',4

The, sub-frame, is, universally connected to the,

bolster to permit independent lateral, upward, and tilting` ory swinging movements of the subframe.V The su-beframe.extendsrearwardly from itsA poi-nt of connectionwith-the bolster element the front' of the main frame substantially in advance of the operators control panel 9 (Fig. 2)

The sub-frame cross beams I2 and 13, as shown in Fig. 3, support bearing elements I4, provided to support the rotatable blade carrying circle l5 which is journalled for rotation upon said bearings.

To opposite sides of the circle I5, spaced bladesupporting arms 25, shown in Figs. 1, 7, 9, and 15, extend pendently to carry the moldboard assembly 260 which supports the moldboard 2'||'|V and grader blade 21.

The blade proper 21 may be in the form of an elongated narrow strip 21, having a lowermost sharp edge 21 adapted to be bolted or otherwise rigidly affixed to the lowermost portion of the moldboard 210; in this specification, the term length is conveniently employed to designate the greatest dimension of the blade or mold-. board, although some workers in the art term this dimension the widthf -A hydraulic rotary motor I6 (Fig. 4) is provided for rotating the circle l5 which carries the blade supporting moldboard assembly 250.

A gear case I1, carrying a gear reduction unit comprising a driving worm gear and gear means cooperating therewith, is also rigidly supported on the cross beam l2 and the worm driving element thereof is driven through the drive shaft linkage comprising the hydraulic motor shaft i8, a worm gear driving shaft I9, andan interconnecting telescopic shaft 20, the latter being universally connected at its end to the ends of the shafts I8 and I3. Y

The gear train disposed within the casing l1 is adapted to communicate rotative motion to a pinion shaft 2| which carries at its lower end the circle driving pinion 22 which is constantly in mesh with the teeth 23 gear provided by the end of the inwardly directed flange 24 of the circle The direction of rotation of the motor I6 is determined by selective choice of two directions of ow of hydraulic liquid passing through the conduits Ilia Vand lb leading to the motor I6, from the controlling valve 83, as effected by the hydraulic pump 60, the pump being shown in Fig. 14, being further indicated in Fig. 2. TheY circle l5, when rotated to a given operative position, will resist displacement therefrom because of the inherent irreversibility of the worm and pinion drive disposed 'within the gear case the worm thereof being driven by the motor. The motor I6 is adapted to rotate the circle any desired part of a revolution or any number of complete revolutions.

'.The rearmost cross beam |3 of the supplemental frame 'l5 is provided with two like pairs of laterally outer and inner, rearwardly presented ball elements 3| and 32, one pair of said ball elements 3| being disposed nearest the ends of the cross beam I3, and each ball of the other pair 32 being spaced somewhat inwardly of said cross beams.

Generally, the movements of the sub-frame are effected by oscillatory swinging movements of lift cranks |04 and |05, at opposite sides of the main frame (see Fig. 8) and by oscillatory movements of the intermediately disposed side-shift crank 40, according to the principles disclosed in the prior patent to Gledhill, Re. 16,624, dated May 17, Y1927. Preferably, herein, the said cranks are adjusted or held in a desired swung position by the controlled effect of two-way fluid pressure actuof the annular internal ated rams, 89 and 90, |05, and the ram 9| for the side shift crank 40.

Lift links 26 and a side-shift link 38 communicate the swinging motion of the respective cranks lili-l, It and 40 to the sub-frame, and circle |5 carried thereby, whereby the circle carried blade can be adjusted vertically at either end, and be moved laterally as, and to the extent, desired, as

for instance, to a substantially end-wise vertical and at the side of,

position in spaced relation to,

the vehicle.

Preferably,

prise an upwardly extending rod 26a telescoped into the downwardly extending tubular sleeve 2Gb,

the rod having a transversely extending bore which which is alignable with one or the other of the transverse bores, such as 26', through the sleeve whereby the effective length of thelinks 26 may be varied, a pin 26e securing said sleeve and rod.Y

The lift cranks |04 and-|05, Figs.

which, in turn, areeach main frame beams I and 2 by brackets 24 preferably welded to the sides of said shaft axis.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the pair of lift links 25 each interconnect, by a universal joint ends, the free end of one of I and |05, and the associated connection at both said lift cranks |04 ball connector 3| secured to the rearmost subframe cross beam I3, which is disposed at the corresponding lateral end of said sub-frame crossv beam.

Therefore, upon rotation of either or both 0f from the position, as shown in Fig. 1, to any more upwardly dis- A the lift cranks |04 and/or |05 posed position, each of said cranks will lift the corresponding end of the blade according to the determined one of the ball connectors 32, cai'- ried by the rearmost sub-frame cross beam I3. y All universal joint connections of said lift and the crank connector balls side shift links to and sub-frame connector balls are preferably of vthe usual ball and socket type, said connectors carrying the sockets which are fitted in encompassing relation .onto the connector balls. The side shift crank is adapted to be interchangeably connected to either one of the connector balls 32 to adapt the side shift crank to shift the sub-frame alternately towards or to the two sides of the vehicle, to the greatest possible extent. v

The mutual functional relationship as between the two lift link cranks and the side shift crank is well known and understood and is generally disclosed in the Gledhill Patent No. 1,528,325, dated March 3, 1925, and from such disclosure it will be understood that the blade may be adjusted by said cranks and their associated linksl to a more or less upright or inclined position laterally of the vehicle, as for grading a steep slope.

The sub-frame lift adjustment cranks |04 and 40 and the scarifer lift cranks are adapted Yto be .adjustably 'swung by the |05, the side shift crank rfor the lift cranks |04 and the sideiift links 2s (Fig. 1 com- Y extending 1 and 8, are" preferably journalled upon stationary shafts |I rigidly carried by the beams (Fig. 4) and said cranks are adapted to rotate about said 1, when rotated about the to the ball connector 40a of the side-shift crank, and at its other end to a prepower of reciprocating hydraulic. motors or. rams, andmay be hydraulically lockedA in a given adjustive position.

Since I deem it important to achieve a greater` angle of; crank swingv than has previously beenV attained by such grader implement adjustment cranks when actuated by hydraulic rams, and desire to. retain the use of relatively simple motors, I have provided moand I051will providea clear understanding of thev structure., the modeaoff operation, and results secured byA the several Variantv forms herein dis-V closed.

ReferenceV will now be made to Figs. l11 12 and 13gY wherein there is.V shown a pair of bell crankv levers, respectively, having hubs Hi and H2, the first. having arms. H3 and'v H155, extending relatively angularly from a hub IH, and thesecond having arms H4' and: H5, extending nearly in parallel relation from the hub H2. The bell crank; levers are hingedlyy interconnected by a.

port brackets 24, connect said immovable shafts: frame.

EachV bell crankV unit H2, H 4A and H5; there-A fore is readily understood as` being the unit of the associated transmission. mechanism which is initially actuated by the hydraulicram, whereby thrust or pull, eiort from the ram is communicated to the4 intermediatelink H8 which, by

and' the grader arms Hfland H8 ofthe unit.

ByA virtue of the above form and. disposition of the curved crank, armV H4- and the link, H8 which interconnects the crank hub H2- with the outer end ofY the short crank arm H3, together over a given angle, as for instance an angle Yof:- 108 communicated to, it bythe hydraulic ram, as. through the piston rod. l i, universalvjoint H'b and'motivatingcrank arm H5, the crank arms Hl and [05 are moved in a clockwise direction about` the axis of` the hub H2, a distance of 2116?', as. indicated in Fig. 13-

This two-to-one increase in angular displace:- ment of the crank arm H15, over that of the crank arm H5 is effected by an unwinding pull upon the short crank H3: through ther twohinge` connectors H9k and 26; thereby unwindingthe arm H4 and link H8 from, about the crank hub1 H l to cause the above designated parts t0. take the relative positions shown ina Fig. 13 wherein the crank arm H4. which, in Fig. l2, is illustrated as extending diagonally upwardlytowards the left, is, in Fig. 13;. sh ,wn as rotated to. a verticaldownward position.

Since the. motivating ram; such asllQ; of-Fig. ll,

8'. isruniversally connect universal-joint l2!` to its mounting. bracket |22, progressive tilting of the ram cylinder 89fand rod H6 permits rotation of the crank H5 over an angle4 of approximately 108, to achieve an angular: throw of 2169 of the crank |05;

It. will be understood that the angular relationship as between the arms H5 and H4 extending from the common hub H 2 may; in practice, be varied, and will'be dictated-by the mounting position. and attitude of the ram such as that shown at 89', Fig. 11, employed to actuate the transmission mechanism through its piston rod. H6.

Mechanism for tilting the moldboard The adaptability of the bladecarrying circle to; be rotated indefinitely in either direction, as,Y

desired, by the hydraulic motor I6, coupled with the hydraulicV in rying4 moldboard. together with the hydraulic scarier adjusting means 44. ot utilizing4 remotely controllable mechanism disposed at a single control station, at 9, adjusting the blade to a rearwardly facing operativev position, and for. subsequently restoring saidblade. Although the scarier may be hydraulically elevated to a limited extentf until its frame 39-42 engages the underside of` thesub-frame 4, yet the clearance below the teeth Il?,Y and the terrain is.: commonly much moldboard and bla disclosed means for first adjustingr said moldboardand blade.. unit to a downwardly` facing attitude, reversing rotation of the unit would be prevented by the obstacle presented. by thescari'- lier.

The; means whereby the moldboard and grader blade are tilted will'now be described.

The; moldboard: assembly comprises an assembly of interlinked parts to permit'byA operation of a hydraulic jack 28 any desired tilting adjustment of the moldboard 270 andi blade 21 which arev shown. in Fig. 7 as adjusted` by the. jack to a substantially vertical position, or as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 15,- where the moldboard and blade unitiis adjusted: to a substantially horizontal position, the purpose of the latter adjustment being tolower the upward extent of the end portion .of

moldboard', which blade and moldboard being arcuately swung'below the lifted scarier when adjusted as in` Fig. 15.

The.v hydraulic. jack, like they supporting arms ed toits xed' mountv by the'V4 eans for tilting the blade car.

affords the means.

less than the heightr of thev de unit, andV except for the.

is featured by the ends of the .swinging throw of the The holder is pivotally carried in any desired `inclined adjusted position, being partly supported by a pair of axially aligned hinging connections at 264 at the two laterally disposed portions of the holder and by means sions 265 of the hangers 25, and being additionally carried by the piston rod 266 ofthe hydraulic ram 28, the end of said rod being hingedly interconnected to the moldboard holder -by lugs 261 cast with the holder, a suitable bolt indicated at 268 being passed through aligned portions of said lugs and the suitable transverse bore at the end of said ram piston rod.

The hinged connections 264 afforded by bolts 269 vdisposed in laterally spaced relation are positioned near a lowermost portion of the holder 26| when said holder and moldboard are in the erect position of Fig. '1, and the hinged connection 268 between the ram piston rod and said holder being then disposed at a higher elevation, so that when the piston rod is thrust outwardly from the ram cylinder, the entire moldboard assembly will rotate about the bolt 269 as a center to achieve the lowered and downwardly facing position illustrated in Fig. 9, said hinging connections 264 and 261 then being disposed in a horizontal plane substantially elevated above the moldboard 210 and blade 21 which are preferably positioned in close proximity in the yunderlying terrain.

The scarijier Graders of the larger types, including motor graders such as illustrated herein, commonly employ a scarier vimplement adapted to plow Y through and loosen the hard terrain disposed in advance of the grader blade 21, which immediately thereafter displaces the plowed terrain. Such scariflers commonly employ earthworking teeth 43 which, as shown in Fig. 1, are preferably disposed in two transversely extending rows carried by a scarier block frame 42. The frame is pendantly carried by the Ascarifier hangers 39, the upper ends of both hangers having their forward ends rigidly securedto the ends of a shaft 4I, journalled within a tube 41, said tube being rigidly welded to the forward portion of the main frame.

Preferably extensibly adjustable lift links 48, constructed in the manner of the lift links Il, make hinging connection at their lower ends to the scarifler hangers at 48h, and at their upper ends to the operating lift cranks 49. The dual operating cranks 49 are rigidly secured by their hubs to the ends of -a shaft 5s, said shaft being journalled upon a pair of brackets 50 and rigidly joining the hubs of said cranks.

Preferably, a single ram 44 is employed to adjust the swinging position of the dual cranks, the motion being transmitted through a motion multiplying linkage which comprises a system having a pair of bell crank levers with a rigid link interconnecting the two bell cranks, as in the similar mechanism of Figs. 12 and 13.

Said similar link mechanism being previously fully described for that form illustrated inFigs. 5, 6 and 16, and employed to provide an increased scarier lift cranks 49, it will only be necessary .to State that therein the levers H38 and H45 are rigidly secured to the respective shafts 5s, 4s, carrying them, said shafts being journalled in brackets 50, for rotation, said lift cranks 49 being also rigidly secured on the opposite ends of the same rotatable :shaft 5s, similarly journalled, the -intermediate link Ils joining the free ends of vthe levers l|4s and ll3s,

of the short strap extentrolling lever Yto the junction of the aforesaid valves andthe ram piston rod 44 being exibly secured the lever l I4s and the link |I8s.

Operation of the linkage to increase the angle of movement of the shaft 5s and crank 49, over the angular throw of the ram operated lever l|4s and the positions of the parts with the scarier lifted as in Fig. l', or lowered as in Fig. 6, will be well understood from the description of Figs. 12 and 13 in view of the foregoing explanation of differences. d

` With reference to the scarier positions of Figs. l, 15 and 16, the uppermost scarier position possible is that wherein the scarifier frame is engaged by the superposed sub-frame 4.

The hydraulic system and apparatus,

Fig. 14 illustrates diagrammatically the hydraulic system, which comprisesV generally a motor driven Ahydraulic pump 66 which draws hydraulic liquidv through a suction line 54 from a reservoir 54 and pumps liquid under pressure through a pressure line 19, under the control of an automatic pressure control valve 94, to various hydraulic motors comprising, besides the rotary hydraulic motor i6, the hydraulic jack or ram reciprocatingmotors 66, 69, 28, 89, 96, 9| and 44 respectively for leaning the front wheels, steering the front wheels, tilting the grader blade, elevating the right side of the grader subframe, elevating the left side thereof, laterally shifting the sub-frame and elevating the scariiier, as more fully described in my co-pending d application.

Hydraulic fluid under high pressure as described is selectively supplied to said various motors by means of the conduit 19, communicating with valves 8l to B8 inclusive, by operation of selected manually operable valve control levers 80. A separate lever 3l) is provided for each of and is adapted to move the valve plunger within the particular valve casing to any desired adjusted position whereby-huid from the pressure line 19 may be directed through either of a pair of conduits a and b leading therefrom, at will, to the particular motor controlled by the relatively associated valve; the other of said pair o1 conduits being placed in communication with the return conduit 93 leading to the relatively associated valve reservoir 54. Cornmunication between the pressure line 19 and both of the conduits a and b of each pair may also be completely cut off, whereby liquid mai7 be trapped therein to lock any piston of the associated motor cylinder in a desired hold position,

All of the reciprocating type motors employed in the illustrated grader are provided with an enclosing cylinder as shown, and a piston c longitudinally reciprocable therein according to difference in pressure at the ends of the cylinder, fluid under pressure being applied to one end of the cylinder and released from the other through the conduits a and b until the apparatas, to be adjusted by means of such motor, is adjusted to the desired degree whereupon the operator may, by moving the appropriate con- 80, Fig. 1, to the proper position, liquid from said cylinder by in such case the body of liquid disposed on either side of the piston will maintain the piston in the motor cylinder, and the adjusted portion of the grader mechanism, in the achieved adjusted position until the valve controlling lever 89 Vassociated therewith is differently adjusted.

block all passage of closing bothconduits;

v,moving rearwardly will now befobvious -or other .reasons to turn The hydrauliciluid l.reservoir 154 receives liquid -discharged from .that .chamber of -any `cylinder :of the particular motor being operated which is Vdisposed forwardlyof the moving piston c thereof, the :controlling valve for any at such time Ahaving heenadjusted 'by Athe .opera- -tor by means of the associated valve lever 80, Figs. l2 `and 14, to place that one of .the pair .of conduits .a vor b -which communicates with :such cylinder chamber in iluid flow communication with the .return line 93 leadingrto the reservoir :54, while the other conduit tof .said pair is placed in vcommunication with the jpressureline .-19..

In the said return line 93, 'as is customary in such system, there is interposed an adjustable liquid flow controlling valve 94, Ato so restrict Vthe vreturn flow from any cylinder chamber of progressively reduced volumetric capacity in `order to retard, to `a .suitable degree, the movement of the motor piston the apparatus being too rapidly adjusted by movement of Ythe piston rod, when vthe ram- 'operated apparatus is vat 'the desired adjusted iposition.

'The flow. of liquid to V and 'from `Ythe :rotary motor I6 is Acontrolled in the :'same `manner .as `that flowing to :and lfrom the'hydraulicram or motors, `reliance for locking the .circle in the Y.rotative position to which rit has been Aadiustediby :said rotarymotor'being, however, also .had upon `the irreversible vcharacter 'of the Worm and pin- Aion driving connections, Fig. 3,'betweenthe sha-it I9 for said rotary motor and the pinion iin kthe -case I1 which drives'zthe circle.

Operation of reversing .the 'blade From the preceding fdescription, the manner -of achieving a grading operation with .the vehicle v A typical operation of this kind is achieved in the following manner, reference being mainly had to Figs. 3, 4, 7, 19, y14 and 15, `with occasional refer- -encebeing also conveniently .made to other iigures .of drawing.

Assuming that `the operator :having possibly .achieved aroad gradingnperation includ-ingcon- .current .use of the scarier andfgraderblade with the Vehicle .moving .in the vforward direction, .reaching :the end of .the terrain, decides to re- 'tr-averse apartor all of .said .graded surface and `Vit being inconvenient .or diicultlfor lack of space the vehicle around, the operator can regrade said surface possibly removing more `of the material .of the terrain .than previously by reversing :the blade and driving the vehicle rearwardly.

To prepare the mechanism for `such rearward `grading operation, .the operator may operate the valves 8| and 8l to direct hydraulic liquid under pressure .to the appropriate like .ends of thelift cylinders 89 and .90 to slightly ,elevate .both of :the cranks 04 and |95 and at the vsame time byLsuitably operatingthe valve 86 apply pressure to the `forward .end of .the vcylinder 44 :toretract the 3piston .rod 44' to thereby'point .the crank 149 .up-

wardly, as ,shown in Eigs..1 and v15, .tolift .the scarier .frame 39 to the most upwardV position. v.indicated in Figs. .1 and 15.

:such cylinder and :thereby prevent--- the facing direction of s .-end portions which are 1 Figs. 1 :and toladownwardly*facing position a .illustrated in Figs. 9 and 15. The moldboar. assembly .260, `during such operation, is lul .crumed Aon .the bolt 259 carried .by the moldboar .holder 26 I and .the pistonfrodbeing fulcrumbed or the bolt 264 of `said holderand at `alaterally intermediategportion l:of said holder as best showt in Ihg. l5.

. When .the .moldboard vhas been sufficiently tiltfed totake `theposition shown in Figs. 9 and .l5 'the fulcruming Vvpoint .for the holder on the y.to neutral position, liquid .trapped in the lines la .and b -will .rigidly hold the ,piston rod 44' and the valve lever, suchasthat shown at 3B, Fig. .2,...to Y operate the appropriate valve :83, vwill through the conduits va .and b tofrotate the rotat- `.able.hydraulic motor .16, whereupon the entire .circle I5 will be rotated .on'its bearings I4 iby roita-tion ofthe motor lshaft I8, transmission shafts '20 and I9 through the reduction gearing in the housing I'I, the gear Ashaft `2iI being thereby rotated to drive the gear pinion on said shaft Which 4 V-isln mesh withV the teeth .23 of `the circle and said .circle being operated .by continued operation of the motor I6 until thefmoldboard andblade will have beenrotated from-'its normal positiontrans- Thereupon .of -th by' reoperation said cranks.

.Having-described a typical operation of the mcchanism involved in my present invention as applied .to hydraulically controlled grader and scari- -fying mechanismd am aware .th

.I cla-im: i 1. .In .fa :mobile .power grader 'of the type de'- 'fscribed in r:combination with the rotatable circle .-thereof, .of -a `grading .unit .comprising fa mod board and blade iaixed'thereto, said unit Y supporting means, said l said power means whereupon, l adjusted to a downwardly tilted facing position,

said terrain a distance height of said blade, and reversed actuation of said ram is adapted to restore sa'id unit to said -versed for grading A grader moving rearwardly.

which are adapted tion of said motor is versed energization of fsame operators of said motor in either ing said power means whereupon, with said unit sition, said circle may position longitudinal bounding edges, and said gend below any portions of the other end to the unit and supporting means being hingedly interconnected at a point so disposed that energization of said ram is effective to adjustably stantially upright position to a downwardly factilt said unit from a subing position, in close proximity to the underlying terrain and so that revers-ed energization of said lram is eifective to restore said unit, power means to rotate said circle, separate remote controlling means at the same operators station for actuating said ram in either direction and for actuating with said unit first said circle may be rotated to reversely position longitudinal bounding edges, and said unit end portions being of such longitudinal extent, and

so vertically thin as to pass any said end below vportions of the grader which are disposed above less than the normal upright position but with its facing direction rethe terrain with the mobile 2. In a mobile power grader of the type described in combination with the vertically adjustable scariiier, and rotatable circle thereof, of

a grading unit comprising a moldboard and blade said unit having end portions to extend outwardly beyond the connnes of the circle and said end portions being relatively thin with respect to its height,

affixed thereto,

l a reversible motor secured at one end to the circle and at the other end to the blade, said circle l comprising pendant unit supporting means, said unit and supporting means being hingedly interconnected at a point so disposed that energizaeffective to adjustably tilt said unit from a substantially upright position to a downwardly facing position in close proximity to the underlying terrain and so that resaid motor is effective to restore said unit, power means to rotate said circle, separate remote controlling means at the downwardly tilted facing pobe rotated to reversely ing rearwardly.

3. In a mobile power grader of the type described in combination with the vertically adjustable scariiier, and rotatable circle thereof, of a grading unit comprising a moldboard and blade affixed thereto, said unit having end portions which are adapted to extend outwardly beyond the confines of the circle and said end portions ybeing relatively thin with respect to its height,

a motor secured at one end to the circle and at blade, said circle comprising pendant unit supporting means, said unit and supporting means'being hingedly interconnected at a point so disposed that energization of said motor is effective to adjustably tilt said unit about the axis of said interconnecting hinge,

station for effecting actuation Said vgrading the terrain underlying terrain and vscariiier which are disposed above said terrain a distance less than the normal height of said blade, and reversed actuation of said ram is adapted to restore said unit to said upright position but with its facing direction reversed for with the mobile grader moving rearwardly,

4. The combination with the blade supporting.

circle of a power grader cf the type described, the vertically adjustable scariiier disposed in advance of said circle and separate reversible power means for vertically adjusting said scarier and rotating said circle, of separate controlling means at a single operators station for controlling the operation of each said'power means, a moldboard unit comprising a moldboard and a blade having a normally lowermost cutting edge, said unit being hingedly interconnected with a pendant rigid element of said circle on an axis extending parallel with and normally rearwardly above said cutting edge, of a power ram secured at one end to said circle and at the other end to said unit at a normally diiferent level than the normal elevation of hinge interconnection, and

- a third control means at said operators station for alternately so effecting actuation of said ram to tilt said moldboard either from a substantially erect position to asubstantially horizontal downwardly facing position cr the converse thereof, the thickness of the outer ends of said unit being considerably less than its normal height when erect and the longer unit dimension being such that said unit may be downwardly tilted, then rotated with an end portion passing between the the lowermost parts of the previously upwardly adjusted scariiier, to such desired rotative position that subsequent reversed actuation of said ram will be effective to place said unit'in a substantially erect reversely facing position.

5. In a mobile power grader of the type described having a vertically adjustable grader blade unit and a scariiler unit, said scariiier unit adapted for limited ver'tical adjustment, separate power means operable under` control of associated separate control means at a single operators station for independently controlling the'vertical adjustment of said scariiier and grader blade units, a rotatable grader blade unit supporting circle, hanger means supporting said grader blade unit being rigidly affixed to said circle, hinge means loperative on a transverse axis interconnecting Ahorizontal plane of said hinge means, control 'means at the said operators station for alternatively hydraulically actuating said ram to adand below the `tending downwardly from -justably move the movable ymember thereof in either alternate direction or to hydraulically hold Ysaid movable member stationary, power means for adjustably rotating said circle and manually operable means at vsaid station for so controlling the actuation of said power means whereby to adjustably rotate sai'd circle in either alternate 'direction or to lock said circle in a stationary adjusted position, said ram, when said movable :member is moved in one direction, adapted to tilt said unit from an upright position to a downwardly facing position, whereupon operation of fsaid circle rotating power means may subsequently swing the downwardly facing blade end portions in a plane disposed closely to the terrain lower ends of the upwardly adjusted scarier to a desired rotative adjusted position whereat reversed actuation of said ram `under the control ofthe associated manually operable control means is effective to restore said blade to an upright position, with the blade facing rearwardly of the vehicle.

6. In a vehicular road grading and scarifying machine comprising v.a longitudinally extending upwardly arched frame, forward and rear wheels for carrying said frame, and a sub-frame flexibly secured at its narrow forward portion to a forward portion of the main frame, a scarier hingedly supported at its forward end to the forward end of the main frame and comprising a scarier block, scarier teeth extending downwardly from said vblock-at its rear end, a grader blade rotatably pendantly secured to the rear portion vof said sub-frame, said blade being of such lateral extent as to extend beyond the sides vof said main frame when rotatably adjusted to a transversely extending position, and its lateral extent being less than the distance between the front and rear wheels of the vehicle, a first iiuid pressure operated mechanism for adjustably liftif ing and lowering the scarier, a second fluid pressure operated mechanism for lifting and lowering the rear portion of said sub-frame to adjustably elevate or depress the blade carried thereby, means comprising a hydraulic ram for variously inclining the blade over a range from an upright operative attitude to a downwardly facing attitude, a rotary hydraulic motor for rotatably adjusting said blade about a substantially vertical axis over an angle of at least 180, and controlling means adapted to be so operated as to so adjust each of said fluid pressure operated mechanisms, ram and rotary motor, so as to elevate the scarifler teeth, to incline the blade to a downwardly facing attitude, to lower said downwardly facing blade below the level of the lowermost portions of said scarier teeth, and to effect such rotation of said blade by said motor as to pass an end portion of the downwardly facing blade transversely below and beyond the scarifier teeth to so reverse the facing direction of said blade, whereby grading may be alternatively achieved with the grader moved rearwardly when said blade is `restored toa normal operative attitude.

'7. In a road grading and scarifying machine comprising a longitudinally extending upwardly arched frame and a sub-frame flexibly secured to a forward portion of the main frame, a scarier frame hingedly supported at the forward end of the main frame and having scarii'ier teeth exits said frame, a grader blade supporting circle pendantly secured to the rear portion of said sub-frame and journalled 16 thereon for .rotational movement .in a plane parallel to that of said sub-frameVa plurality of hydraulically operable ymechanisms comprising `a fluid pressure operated device for adjustably lifting and lowering the scarier, hydraulically operable lift means for lifting and lowering 'the rear portion of said sub-frame to adjustably elevate or depress the blade carried thereby, iiuid pressure operable ram means for variously Ainclining the blade from a forwardly facing attitude to a downwardly disposed horizontal attitude, and a hydraulically operable motor means for rotatably adjusting said blade about a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of valve means, each adapted to be selectively so operated as to adjust each of said fluid pressure -operated mechanisms so as to elevate the scarier teeth, and to effect such rotation of said horizontally disposed blade by said motor as to pass an end portion of the-said blade transversely below and beyond said elevated scarier teeth to so Vreverse the facing direction of said blade, whereby grading may be Y alternatively achieved with the grader moved rearwardly when said blade is restored to a normal operative attitude.

8. In a road grading and scarifying machine comprising a longitudinally extending upwardly arched frame and a sub-frame flexibly carried by the rear portions of the main frame, an 'operators station on said machine controlling means at said station, a scarier frame hingedly supported at the forward end vof the main frame and having scarier teeth extending downwardly from its said frame, ram motor means operable for adjustablyl elevating said scariiier rto place said teeth in variously elevated positions including an uppermost position when the upper ,portion of said scariiier frame is in engagement with the under surface of said sub-frame forwardly of said grader blade, separate uid pressure operated mechanism for adjustably lifting and lowering the sub-frame, blade hanger means for pendantly supporting said bladefrom saidsubframe, motor means carried by said sub-frame for rotating said hanger means and .blade about an upwardly extending axis, means comprising la hinge connection so interconnecting the portion of said blade nearest its cutting edge with the lower end portion of said hanger means, whereby said blade may be adjustably swung on said hinge means to a face-downward attitude to position the blade below the level of said hinge means, separate motor means adapted to adjustably swing said blade on its transverse hinge axis, said controlling means adapted to control the operation of said motor means, said ram motor means, and said separate motor means, whereby the scarii'ier may be lifted to an upper position, said vblade may be downwardly positioned and faced, and said blade rotated to such an extent as to cause said blade, upon retraction of said blade to its normal operative attitude to face rearwardly of the vehicle.

9. The machine as set forth in claim A3 characterized by saidmotors being of the two-way hydraulic `type and said controlling means comprising a source of liquid under pressure, and a plurality of selectively operable valves, and by the provision of conduit means interconnecting each end of each said motor, through dierent 5f said valves, with said source.

ANTHONY L. LADO.

No references cited. 

